Call of Duty
by The Scribe3
Summary: Future fic. Having retired from the superhero life years ago, Bobby Drake, now married with a family, yearns to relive his glory days as Iceman. But when he is offered the opportunity to go be a hero again, will he take it?


1Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is the property of Marvel Comics and the WB. This story is making me no money.

Two kids were running as fast as they could down a street. "Come on hurry before it finds us," the boy told his sister.

They ran down an ally and tried to hop a fence but the girl's foot got caught. "Help I'm stuck," she cried.

The boy started to try and pull her out when it's shadow appeared over them. "Mutants identified," an automated voice said.

"Use your powers," the girl cried to her brother.

"I'm trying but I'm too scared," he cried as he looked up at the glowing eyes of the giant robot.

"Terminate," the robot said and prepared to fire as the kids shut their eyes, fearing to look.

"I don't think so," a voice said and the children opened their eyes to see a person made out of ice, riding a slide made of ice. "Don't worry kids just chill there for a second while I handle the Tin Man," he joked then jumped off the slide right before the robot hit it. "Darn Sentinels," he muttered.

"Mutant identified, subject Iceman, terminate on spot," the Sentinel said as it prepared to fire.

"You mean your bosses have me on file, why I'm honored," Iceman grinned as he created an ice pillar to raise him up to the Sentinel. "But as for terminating me I think that will be a little hard after I do this," he said before sending a large shard of ice right into the laser cannon right before firing, jamming it. The arm began to glow.

"Okay time to go kids," he said as he freed the girl. "Now both of you hold on, NOW" he told them as he grabbed them on to his slide, before sliding out. When they were a good distance away the Sentinel exploded from the pressure jam.

"Wow you're amazing Iceman," the little girl said.

"Yeah sir your, BEEP BEEP BEEP. Bobby Drake awoke and reality hit. He was in bed and it was morning, time for work, and his Alarm Clock was doing that annoying Beep.

"Honey, could you get that," that his wife groaned as she lied beside him. "And don't hit the snooze your getting up, you have the car pool today," she reminded him.

Bobby groaned at the thought of the carpool, but turning over and taking one look at his pretty Kitty, and he couldn't complain. "Yes dear" Bobby responded as he smacked the alarm off then rolled over to face her. "You know I've been wondering when we're going to take Kurt up on that invitation to his beach house," he asked

Kitty smiled at her husband and kissed him on the cheek. "When life gets less complicated I guess" she sighed. "I know he's been badgering us, but lets see him raise 4 kids" She paused before continuing. "Well more like 5, not to mention both of us working full time jobs, while also finding time for the Neighborhood Watch, PTA, Little League and everything else we've gotten ourselves tangled into," she sighed.

"Yeah I know, I think we had life simpler when we were running around in spandex trying to change the world," he commented then became silent and sighed.

"You were dreaming about it again weren't you," she sighed as she rolled over and put her arms around him.

"Yeah I was, but it doesn't mean anything. Just a silly dream," he tried to assure her, knowing how she felt about any urge to wear spandex anymore.

Kitty frowned. "No it's not, you obviously have some sort of regret or doubt, aren't you happy," she asked.

"Of course I am," he said as he held her hand with his. "It's just that," he paused then sighed. "Look I really would feel better if we didn't talk about it, I don't want to upset you, so can we please just forget it."

"You sure," she prodded as she often did.

"Yeah I'm sure," he said trying to do his best to convince her, his reminiscing of the old days was just that. "I'll do some ice sliding in the backyard tonight and I'll be fine. Now moving on, considering we're alone maybe we can enjoy it for a change,"he winked.

Immediately after saying that he heard a brief growl, and saw it was coming from, Kitty's pet purple dragon, who had been resting at the foot of their bed.

"Sorry Lockheed," he sighed and turned back to Kitty. "Well almost alone," he said to satisfy the Dragon's desire for recognition.

"Oh trying to change the subject, well just this once I allow it," she grinned as they began to kiss. Upon this Lockheed decided to get up and fly out of the room. "Now we're completely alone," she grinned. But of course it was not meant to last.

"Daddy, Mommy, Billy stole my dollie," they heard their 6 year old daughter cry. They looked at each other and were about to say something else when, they heard the baby crying over the baby monitor.

"I'll rock paper scissor you for Elizabeth," he smirked

She rolled her eyes. "No she'll want Daddy to save the day, I'll take care of the baby," she said as they got up and out of bed. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before walking through the wall to the nursery.

Bobby smiled as he shook his head, no matter how many times he saw her do that, it never got old. He proceeded to walk out the door and down the stairs to the living room, where he found quite a scene. His 10 year old was simply standing in front of his 6 year old holding the doll out for her to grab. But every time she tried to grab it her hand went right through. Most parents would find this odd but for Bobby it was part of life. "Not this again," he sighed as he glanced over to the couch, where Lockheed was in his usual spot, in his possession was the TV remote. "Lot of help you are," he frowned at the Dragon, before snatching up his son from behind "Okay that's enough," he said as he swung his son under his arm. "Now how about giving your sister her doll back, huh," he asked.

"You know I can just phase out you know," Billy responded.

"Yeah I'm sure you could but that floor looks pretty hard," he chuckled.

"Drop him Daddy he deserves it," Elizabeth frowned and stuck her tongue out at her brother and

he responded in kind.

"Now you know that's not very nice sweetie pie," he told his daughter then looked down at his son. "Hey I'll make you a deal, just give the doll back and I won't tell Mommy that you were phasing, okay," he asked.

Billy's eyes widened at the prospect of his mother finding out he was using his new powers, so he nodded eagerly. "Deal" he said and tossed his sister the doll, and Bobby let him go.

"Thank you Daddy," Elizabeth said as she hugged his leg.

"Alright now both of you go get dressed for school," he said and they both nodded before running off. Bobby sat back against the wall and sighed. Ever since Billy began to develop his phasing ability things had gotten a bit more hectic, to the point that Kitty had contemplated going up to Bayville and getting Hank to cook up individual power dampeners. They knew eventually they'd have to send the kids off to the school, but they never anticipated such rare early power development, then again two mutant parents did increase the probability, as Hank had warned them repeatedly over the years. "Boy when did life get so complicated," he sighed as he banged his head into the wall.

"You okay Uncle Bob," a familar voice asked and Bobby turned around to see his live in baby sitter, Rachel. "Billy with the powers again huh, well sorry about that my alarmed didn't go off so I've been a little behind, otherwise I would of been out there with them," the teenager explained.

Bobby shook his head. "Don't sweat it, you do more then enough to keep them in line, your entitled to some kid free time,' he assured her.

"Well remember my offer still stands to wipe the kid's mind that he has powers," she smirked as her eyes glowed the same orange as her late mothers had.

"It's tempting," he grinned. "But fear of Mommy has worked pretty well so far."

"I can imagine, Aunt Kate is scary when she's mad," she laughed a bit then sighed. "So anyway have you gotten word from my Dad lately,"she asked.

He sighed and by looking into her eyes he could tell she figured out the answer. "Sorry kiddo nothing in a week, I think he's still overseas handling a situation for SHIELD."

"Typical," she muttered.

"Look...," He began to say.

"I have to catch the bus," she said as she abruptly ended the conversation, and ran off.

Bobby sighed. He hated to see the girl like that. She was practically another one of his kids, but

she needed her father. Hopefully Scott would figure that out soon, but considering he's been buried in his job since Jean's death, Bobby highly doubted it.

"Well I guess it's time for the shower," he told himself when he spotted Becky, his oldest child and the only one in junior high, wandering out of her room and off to school. "Morning honey," he smiled.

"Oh hi Dad," she sighed as she walked by without making any real acknowledgment of him.

Bobby's father sense almost immediately hit and he stepped right into his daughter's path. "Nice try but I know that face so tell me what's wrong," he said as he put his hands on her shoulders.

She tried to wave him away but he held on to her. "Look Dad its nothing important.. it's just that... well...,"

"Come on just tell me," he told her.

She sighed and turned away. "It's just that junior high stinks, everyone is so cool and they think I'm average," she sighed. "Why can't I show them what I can do, I could so make the Volleyball team, or about you and Mom and how you guys saved the world?"

Bobby sighed he always hated telling this speech. "We've been over this before it wouldn't be a good idea, remember people still aren't so big on people like us. If you let them know about your abilities, well it could get you in a lot of trouble, or even the family. And we can't let anyone know about our identities, we may have our fans but we also had quite a few people who didn't like us at all, and might hurt you and your brothers and sister."

"Don't you people want me to fit in,"she said as she became flustered and her chestnut hair fell in front of her face. "Can't I please just tell them how we know a real movie star?"

Bobby sighed. "Look I wish we could, but everyone knows your Uncle Kurt was an X-Man and they could figure out the connection."

"I so can't believe you, you were a real hero and your ashamed of it, you rather be boring," she frowned. "Excuse me but I have to get to school" she frowned as she muscled out of his grip and brushed past him with her above average strength.

Bobby sighed when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "She'll get over it," Kitty told him.

"Yeah I hope so," he said. "The sad part is a part of me agrees with her."

Kitty looked him in the eyes and smiled. "Your not boring, your still the same colorful, loving, great guy, I fell in love with, and I know she feels the same way I do."

"I hope so," he sighed. "But I'm starting to think we need to send her to Bayville. I know it's not something you want to talk about but Sean and Emma run a tight ship and it might be the best thing."

He looked as Kitty frowned at him. "Your right I don't want to talk about it, but we will" she nodded. "Just not now, Anyway you better shower and soon, your already behind, and I have to get going, I have to drop off Henry at your Mom's then I'm meeting with clients and reprogramming systems all day" she explained.

"So I can assume that's why your dressed like Emma," he chuckled as he commented on her business suit. "I'm just kidding you look gorgeous," he said and kissed her.

"Always able to talk your way out," she chuckled, when Hank awoke and began to cry. "Oh just great, I know I had a pacifier someone in this bag."

"Don't bother," Bobby said as he created an ice one and stuck in little Hank's mouth, who then became content again. "That should hold him till you get to Mom's. Guess my powers aren't completely useless."

"The word useless and you don't belong in the same sentence," Kitty assured him and kissed him again. "I'll see you after work, I was thinking take out tonight so if your home at 5 and I'm not back yet just order," she said before heading out.

Bobby he glanced at a clock. "Great I need to move," He groaned and quickly jumped into the shower. After a quick run through, he got dressed, grabbed his brief case, Billy and Elizabeth and headed out the door.

At 11:30 Bobby was where he was everyday at that hour, at Murphy, Brown, and Goldberg Accounting Services, sitting at his office with a stack of papers while starring at the clock waiting for lunch. Then at lunch time he would do what he did everyday, meet up with his Dad for lunch. He was in a particularly unpleasant mood after the morning car pool.

The voice of one of Billy's friends rang in his head. "My father's a cop, he helps people and is a hero, not a wimpy accountant." The crestfallen face of Billy seemed to stick in his head as well.

"How did it come to this?" Bobby muttered to himself as he often did. "I was a hero now I'm a paper pusher, what happened?" he asked himself and looked out the window. This was the one place he expressed those feelings he dared not at home. He loved Kitty and his children but he couldn't help but wonder if he had stayed an X-Men all those years ago. He fiddled with his powers briefly, creating a miniature Iceman fighting a miniature Sentinel.

But of course his thoughts and games were interrupted when an important client walked in. Bobby grimaced when he saw the oh so familiar figure of Richard Baxter Jr. Dealing with this client meant Bobby would have to do the one thing he really hated about his job, kissing up to an

arrogant jerk. "Oh good morning Mr. Baxter how are you today."

"Oh just fine Drake, just fine. I am here because I was hoping that your firm would be willing to cut your fee by 15."

"15," Bobby gasped as he thought what the partners would say to him.

"Would that be a problem?"

"Well...," Bobby began to say when he was interrupted.

"Because my company recently got an offer from Smith Brothers Accounting offered us their services for 10 less then you and because of the long history my father had with this firm, I thought I'd give you the chance to wow me."

Bobby frowned, if he lost this client it would be a blow to the company, but convincing the partners to take a pay cut was almost as impossible. Not to mention he had a feeling the slime was lying about the whole thing but if he called him on it, he could risk insulting him and losing him right there. "Well you see we decreased the fee just last year for you and because we drafted a contract it can be hard..."he began.

"So its no, how unfortunate," Baxter responded as he began to walk out.

Bobby sighed. "Wait let me finish, I said it would be hard so I can't give you answer right away."

"Yes I understand, let me know by tomorrow, you can take me to lunch, anyway I have to be going I have a certain beauty to romance," he explained and turned around to walk out.

"I'll take you somewhere," Bobby muttered as he made a fist of ice. He'd loved to nail that guy in the head, but this job paid far too well.

"What was that Drake," Baxter asked as he turned around again.

"Oh have a nice day," Bobby said then flopped down into his chair and proceeded to bang his head into his desk multiple times. He heard his phone buzz. "Yeah what," he snapped after hitting the speaker button.

"Mr. Drake, someone to see you," the front desk receptionist said over the phone.

"Just great, probably another wonderful client," he muttered. "Look tell him I'm about to go to lunch."

"He say's it's quite urgent," she responded.

"Aren't they all, probably some big shot jerk," Bobby thought. "Fine send him in," he sighed and shut off the phone. "This better be good" he frowned, but his frown changed to an expression of complete surprise when he saw Scott Summers wander into his office. Scott had seen better days, today he looked a bit battered and as if he hadn't of slept in days.

"So this is where you work," Scott said as he took a look at Bobby's office. "I must admit I never imagined your office would be so dull," he commented.

"Well they have rules, no real decoration except family photos, plaques and degrees," Bobby explained as he got up and shook Scott's hand. "So what are you doing here, I mean I doubt you can all this way just to see my office. If your wondering about Rachel...," he began.

Scott shook his head. "Oh yeah, my daughter," he nodded almost as if he was just thinking about her now. "How is she these days?"

"Uh she's just fine, well she has been asking where you've been," Bobby explained as he rose an eyebrow. "Wait if your not here about her, then why exactly are you here."

"Actually that's a bit complicated, as you can see things have gotten a bit hectic for me since I called last week," he sighed then looked around cautiously. "Is there somewhere we could go that's a bit more private?"

Bobby nodded as he got up and grabbed his coat. "Yeah I know a place right outside of town, we can catch lunch while we're at it."

"You've read my mind," Scott smiled.

15 minutes later, Bobby pulled up to a small, and a bit run down diner, on the out skirts of town.

After getting out of the car Scott glanced briefly at the diner then back at Bobby. "You sure about this place, it seems a bit wild," he said.

Bobby grinned. "Don't be scared, It's cool I know the owner, he'll give us a private room," he explained as he opened the door to the diner. "Besides it might look bad but once you get a look at it I think you'll understand."

Scott sighed. "Alright lead the way. And I'm not scared."

As soon as they entered Bobby glanced back at Scott and saw him looking the place up and down. He knew once Scott saw the clientele he'd understand why this place didn't exactly have the best location or appearance. Throughout the diner were various physically mutated mutants, some with other powers and some without such gifts. Of course in such a crowd there were also many normal looking mutants as well. "Understand now, and you were scared," Bobby grinned.

"Mutant haven, I got you," Scott nodded. "And I wasn't scared," he said sternly.

"Of course you see these a lot in your travels," Bobby commented, knowing that as the mutant population increased, the more they were forced into secluded parts of communities, partially by choice, partially by human hostility. "But don't worry this ones...,"

"Bobby...," a feminine voice called out and both men turned to see a green skinned woman with blue hair standing at the counter. "Where have you been lately," she asked then turned back to the kitchen. "Honey get out here, Bobby's here."

"He is, is Kitty with him," a voice called out as a large brown mutant with a hard shell for a back emerged from the kitchen, wearing an apron. He immediately ran out and bear hugged Bobby.

"Good to see you too Tusk," Bobby groaned from within the hug and then smiled at the woman after Tusk let him go. "You too Floris" he smiled at the woman. "I helped them with their finances a little," he explained to Scott.

"Oh he did more then that," Tusk said. "If it wasn't for this guy we would of never of been able to buy this old diner and fix it up. With his help we were able to get a loan, he helped us draw

up contracts with food companies, he and his wife even helped us prepare for all the meetings we had to have with all those people."

"A little girl, no more then 4, who looked almost the combination of Tusk and Floris ran in and grabbed Bobby's leg. "Iceman, your back," she smiled.

"Oh hey short stuff, look I'd love to play but I have work to do, but here," he said and closed his hands and when he reopened them there was an ice flower.

"Thank you, I wuv your ice flowurs," she smiled.

Bobby blushed then looked back at Scott, whose patience was obviously wearing thin. "Oh anyway Tusk could you give me a nice private table, so I can talk to my friend here?"

"No problem," the large mutant said and led them to a back room with a table, left them some menu's and exited.

"Okay Scott, what was it you wanted to talk to me about," Bobby asked.

Scott nodded. "I'm hear cause I want to recruit you for a mission," he said. "I need Iceman to make a come back."

Bobby leaned back to catch his breath from the shock, this definitely was big news. "Wait, why do you need me, what's going on," he asked as he leaned forward again to listen.

Scott took a deep breath then spoke. "You've heard of the Children of the new Evolutionary Order, right," Scott asked

"Yeah weren't they that cult of mutant fundamentalists who were causing all that trouble a few years ago," Bobby nodded.

"Well as you know they developed quite the following, so instead of trying to hunt down the

whole cult, the major governments of the world worked out a deal with them, where the Northern tier of the Island Nation of Genosha."

"Yeah I remember reading that they set up in the remnants of Magneto's old citadel," Bobby nodded. "But that a few years back, I thought these fundamentalists were just isolationists."

"They were, but recent events seem to indicate that some of their recent converts may have other ideas," Scott explained. "Over the past few months several known mutant terrorists have been rumored to be congregating in an undisclosed location. Over the past few weeks there has been more rapid traffic to the isolationist colony. Then just a few days ago, all contact to Genosha was cut off, apparently some sort of outage. Satellite photos show that the colony is the only part of the Island that hasn't lost power."

Bobby sat back again as he assessed the data. "I think I see where this is going, you want to take a team in and find out what's happened and stop it before it goes any farther," he sighed. "Well good luck to you."

"Do you know how many tourists are on holiday in South Genosha, at this time of year," Scott frowned. Bobby could see he was attempting to hammer in the potential seriousness of the situation.

"Yeah I know it's a bad situation but you know I'm done with that," Bobby said. "Kitty and I vowed that once we started a family we were done with that."

Scott frowned. "I want you on this team Bobby, I've spent the last 36 hours looking up the old team, Kurt, Rogue and Remy, Storm, Logan, Hank, Warren, all are in, you're my last stop."

Bobby had to admit he was impressed at the line up, it being pretty much the X-Men line up from back in the glory days.. well all the living ones. But getting all of them together since then was quite the feat. Piotr, Warren and Hank still served as X-Men, and Logan came and went, but considering Storm and her relief work in Africa, Rogue and Remy in their nomadic lifestyle as they had been ever since finding those diaries, and Kurt's tight shooting schedule. Bobby remembered the last time he was with just half of them was 4 years ago when Lance Alvers finally married Wanda Maximoff. But it was going to take more then a potential reunion to motivate him.

"So what Kit and I are expected to just saddle up for old time's sake, well it's not that simple, we have kids you know," he frowned. "Besides save Kurt, the rest of them still do the hero bid in some form or another."

Scott sighed. "I said you were my last stop, I would never ask Kitty to go as well, and I know she wouldn't even if I tried," he explained.

"But you think I have some sort of desire to ditch my family and be super hero again, huh?" Bobby frowned, partly because a part of him was scared it was true.

"Look its just that, well, Kurt told me that you've been going through a rough time lately," Scott began to say.

"Get drunk with the blue elf and you pay for it in the morning," Bobby muttered to himself then sighed. "Okay yeah I'll admit I miss it."

"Then come with us," Scott said and put a hand on his shoulder. "This is the best chance you'll ever have to be Iceman again. I mean unless you rather just spend the rest of your day in that prison of what you call an office."

Bobby found himself agreeing with everything Scott was saying, but he caught himself. "Nice try Scott but it's going to take more then that. Besides you didn't ask me to come on this mission just because you felt bad for me, you have another reason."

Scott nodded. Yeah your right. Usually the government would use our own operatives, but no one has been in that Citadel, besides the fundamentalists, since we abandoned it as our temporary base. Besides we need a way of getting access to the island without radar detection, thus ruling out any aircraft or sea craft."

"And Ice Bridging would be just perfect for that, now wouldn't it," Bobby frowned. "I knew it, so you can put a lid on the sweet talk, you need me."

"Never said we didn't," Scott retorted. "Maybe all this time on the sidelines has convinced you that we didn't need you, or that you just don't have what it takes anymore. Quite frankly I don't care why your being reluctant, but its time to face facts. You have a gift, we need it, and you've been wanting this. Not only do you have an opportunity to be a hero again, but you have a duty and you can't walk away from it. It's time to start using your powers for more then just a cheap trick"

Bobby immediately turned to his ice form and created an ice shard in his hand. He leaned into Scott and glared. "Does this look like a cheap trick," he snapped.

Scott looked right into him, showing no fear. "Then why don't you show it and do something."

Bobby powered down and began to pace around. A lot of what Scott said made sense, and he had really wanted this. This would give his kids a chance to see him as a hero again, make them proud of him and maybe inspire them as well, and for him to show he still had it and wasn't just some gutless white collar wonder who lets any client walk all over him. "Besides its only one mission what could it hurt," he thought. "Except your wife may never forgive you, that is if she doesn't kill you," a voice in the back of his head reminded him.

"Well what's it going to be," Scott asked.

"Look I can't just do this without telling her," he said responded. "I'll let you know what I'm doing tonight."

"Fair enough," Scott nodded. "Kurt's already on his way, he'll be waiting for you when you get home."

"What about you, aren't you going to at least stop to see Rae?"

"Just tell her I'll see her when this is all and done, they need me back at SHIELD OPS to coordinate all this." he explained as he got up and headed for the door. "I hope you make the right decision," he said before exiting, leaving Bobby alone to wait for his meal and to contemplate.

By the end of the day, Bobby was fed up enough with his current occupation that he was much more tempted to take up Scott's offer. Having to convince the partners how great a client Baxter was, was bad enough, but then allowing himself to be shafted with double the paper work, so a son of one of the partners could take a weeks vacation to Vegas, had really made him hate himself.

As he pulled into his driveway, he noticed his parents car parked out front. "Oh just great, looks like they just invited themselves over again, Kit must have loved that," he groaned as he got out of the car and headed for the front door. "At least maybe they'll handle the kids so I can break things to Kit alone," he thought.

But as soon as he opened the door, he'd find out that he had been beaten to the chase. "Daddy, Daddy, your home," Elizabeth smiled as she squeezed his leg.

"Hey Dad is it true, are you going to go with Uncle Kurt and the X-Men to fight the bad guys," Billy asked.

Upon hearing that Bobby grimaced. "Guess the cat's out of the bag," he muttered. He noticed that Lockheed, who was curled up in his usual spot on the couch rose his head and was glaring at him. This confirmed his fears. "Yep she's mad."

"You have no idea," Becky muttered from a chair in the corner of the living room, as she tried to hide her face behind some teen pop magazine.

Bobby was about to ask what his daughter meant when he got his answer when a very angry looking Kitty emerged from the kitchen. Behind her came his father, who also seemed quite upset, his mother who looked worried, Rachel who also looked quite concerned about the situation, and Kurt who looked, to best put it, apologetic. "I am so sorry about this mein freund, I was a little early and well.,." Kurt began to say but was cut off.

"Your wife interrogated him like a pro," William Drake commented. "And now that I know what's really going on, let me just say that there is no way in hell I am going to let my son make the most idiotic mistake possible," he said and Bobby knew he would of kept on going if his mother didn't stop him.

"You know what, I think we'll all just give you two some time alone," Bobby's mother said as she began to escort William out of the room.

"Good idea," Rachel nodded. "Come on kids, we're all going to go into the play room and we'll watch one of Uncle Kurt's movies," she said as she took Elizabeth's hand and began to walk out. Becky got up and followed, but Billy was being a little more difficult.

"But I don't wanna," Billy whined. "I want to see what happens."

"I said now Billy!" Rachel glared at him as her eyes began to glow orange and the boy quickly stopped his protest.

Kurt patted him on the back. "Don't vorry, it von't be boring. I'll tell you about the time your parents and I stumbled into Limbo and met Lockheed," he said.

Upon hearing that Lockheed, who had been intent on staying curled up on the couch, decided to follow, leaving the married couple alone. "So how'd you figure it all out," he asked.

"Well luckily when you didn't show up for lunch, your father called your office to find out what happened to you. When he was told you left with a man in ruby sunglasses, well it didn't take a genius to figure out something was up. He called me and told me, and he wanted to be here when you got home, just as much as I did. When Kurt showed up, it was pretty obvious he was involved in this whole thing, so I got him to spill."

"Hope you weren't to hard on him, he was just coming to meet me for Scott," Bobby said.

"Of course not, it's none of my business what he decides to do with his life...," she nodded then glared at him. "HE"S NOT MY HUSBAND!" she snapped. "And it's a good thing Scott didn't come in person, cause I would of kicked him from here to Tuesday for talking you into this idiocy, whether he's Rachel's father or not. I've lost enough people I love because of who we were, I'm not going to lose my husband," she cried as tears formed.

"Look I didn't agree to anything yet okay," he said as he put his arms around her and held her. "And your not going to lose me."

"Well that's a relief" she sighed as she calmed down. "Scott gave Kurt the impression he had sold you on it."

"Well pretty close," he muttered.

"Why," she sighed. "Are things so bad here, is your life so horrible that you'd be willing to throw it away, or maybe you've just gotten bored with us," she sighed as she sat down on the couch and looked at the floor.

Bobby instinctively sat down next to her and put his arms around her. "Look at me," he said and moved her so they were looking face to face. "No, never. My family is the best thing that has ever happened to me, marrying you and having those kids was the greatest joy in my life, you have to understand that," he said with tears in his eyes.

"Then why," she asked again.

Bobby looked at the ground for a minute. "It's because I'm not happy with me," he explained. "I'm pathetic Kit, I have sunken down to the extent where anyone can walk over me. I sit at that desk day in, day out, and I'm accomplishing nothing of substance."

"You're the farthest thing from Pathetic, you work hard every day and you're great at your job, no one has helped more people with their finances at that office then you have," she said. "I know it's not glamorous and some days might be worse then others but at the very least your providing for your family."

"But what do I have to show for it," he responded. "My children don't even look up to me anymore, to them I was someone who was a hero once and now I'm just a nobody hiding from my past. At the very least if I went on this mission I could show them that their Dad still had it you know. That he was still the same amazing figure that they hear about in all those stories they've heard."

Kitty sighed. "I know the kids can be harsh sometimes, but stop being ridiculous, they look up to you. Every time they need help with their Homework, to play catch, save their dollies, or even just to be there, they know they can count on you," she told him and he could tell she was trying to hammer it in for him. "And your always there for me too," she sighed as she looked deep into his eyes.

"I know but..., he began but she cut him off.

"And if you get yourself dragged back into this, you won't be there for them, and you know it. It might be nice to have a Dad out saving the world, but not if he's never there for you. Just look at Rachel, do you really want to have a relationship with your children like Scott has with her?"

"Of course not, I could never live with myself if I let that happen. But it's just one little mission, I'd be back before they knew I was gone, and I'd be a hero," he tried to convince her.

"Okay say it were true and this mission was no big deal, we both know that it will just lead to another, and another," she responded and put a finger on his lip. "Don't try to argue, you know that once you got a taste for it again, you'd want more. That's why we stopped all together, we couldn't resist the lure of it."

Bobby realized she was right, but he still felt an urge to be a part of this mission, Scott said he needed him and he didn't want to turn his back on duty. "I know your right, but they need me, I can really help them. Don't I have a duty to use my gifts for something useful, something important."

"Damn Scott, just damn him," Kitty frowned. "He fed you a line about duty and it hooked you."

"Only because I know in my heart I know I have a sense of duty, and want to be there for people who need me," he snapped back.

"The X-Men have gotten along without you before they can do it again," she responded.

Bobby was about to respond when cries could be heard over the baby monitor. "Hank must be up and want his bottle," Kitty explained as she looked up the stairs.

"We better take care of that," Bobby nodded as their little argument calmed down again.

They remained silent as they walked up the stairs. When they reached the nursery they saw a startling sight. Hank had managed to get up on to the railing of the crib and right as they walked in he fell. Bobby dived just in time and caught his son before his little head hit the hard floor. For several seconds he just held him tight not wanting to let go. He stood up and continued to look at his son.

"Honey are you okay," Kitty asked as she put a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know," he sighed. "I mean if we weren't here who knows what would of happened to him," Bobby sighed when it hit him. He looked at his son and he looked at his wife. "I am an idiot," he muttered as he walked out into the hallway, toward their bed room.

"Excuse me, you lost me," Kitty asked and rose her eyebrow as she often did when she was confused, one of the little things she did that Bobby had always loved.

"Because," Bobby said as he came across their wedding photo that was on a table in their room. "Because all this time I thought I needed this mission, needed to be Iceman again to feel significant, to regain my sense of duty and accomplishment. When I already have something that gives me all that," he explained. "The day we got married, my whole life shifted, I made a commitment to you and to our family, I guess I just forgot that lately. To think I let one bad morning get me upset enough to throw this all away."

"That doesn't make you an idiot," Kitty smiled.

"No what makes me an idiot is that I needed one of my children to be in danger to remember and truly feel how much my family meant to me," he sighed as he looked down at little Hank. "I mean being Iceman is fun, but I know I can live without it, if I lost any of you, I would be nothing. Even worse I was so blinded by this warped notion of what I thought I wanted to be, I tried to ignore the fact that I agreed with all the points you made to me. Besides the spandex always did kind of give me a wedgie," he grinned.

"Oh just shut up and kiss me," she said as she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "Just for the record that means your not going to Genosha right," she asked after breaking out of the kiss temporarily.

"Like you said, the X-Men can get along with out me," he told her.

"Oh thank god," she sighed and kissed him again.

They got Hank his bottle and then proceeded down the stairs where they found everyone waiting in the living room, almost as if they had their ears pressed up against a door listening.

"So...," Becky asked.

"So what," Bobby grinned.

"So we want to know if your going to make the right decision and take care of your family, or go off and run around in blue spandex like a dang fool with that red eyed SOB," Elizabeth asked in a tone that indicated pure recitation.

"You've been listening to Grandpa, haven't you munchkin," he smiled as he picked her up and smiled at her, after handing Hank to Kitty. "And Dad could you choose your language better around the kids, especially when talking about Rachel's father like that."

"You should of heard what she was saying about him," William grunted and Bobby and Kitty both looked at Rachel.

"Hey father or not, he had no business trying to manipulate you like that Uncle Bob," Rachel said casually. "Now tell them your parents the good news before they burst."

"Wait how did she," Maddie Drake scratched her head. "Oh right telepathy, anyway is she right."

"Yeah, I'm staying right here," Bobby nodded. "And for the first time in a long time I have no doubts or regrets."

"Oh thank god" his mother cried.

"You mean your not going to go be Iceman with the X-Men again," Billy asked.

Bobby patted his son on the head. "Sorry kiddo but I'm staying right here, but if you want Iceman all you have to do is ask," he said as he changed into his ice form and sprinkled snow over his son, who laughed. "And if your good, we'll even do some power training."

"Good Lord," William sighed, most likely at the thought of his grandson being allowed to use his powers. "I'm scared already." At the same time Lockheed growled with agreement.

Becky came over and hugged her father. "Look Dad I'm sorry about this morning, I was just overreacting I guess. But when I started thinking that you might go off on that dangerous mission, well I got so worried," she sighed as she began to tear up a bit.

"It's okay Princess there's nothing to worry about," he assured her as he hugged her tight.

"Besides who needs Volley Ball, when there's the School Play," she grinned. "And I have the best acting coach possible."

"Vell I try," Kurt grinned. "Speaking of vhich, Scott is expecting me. So what do you vant me to tell him."

Bobby paused for a second as he looked around at his assorted family, his parents, his children, his defacto niece, his wife's pet dragon, and his lovely wife then turned back to his old friend. "Tell him that I'm sorry but I had a duty I couldn't walk away from."

Yeah this is a one shot. Please give me feedback that means READ AND REVIEW, if enough people like it maybe I'll do more stories coming from this time line and suggestions are always open. Credit to Sue and Sue for help with the names and any other inspiration Sue P might have given me through her expertise in Bobby/Kittyness.


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